Beneath The Mask
by Salark
Summary: We all assume we know what is hidden under Sheik's cowl, but what if it was something different then we thought? LinkxSheik Link's P.O.V – Companion fic to Underneath


**A/N:** Just something I thought up that I thought was a little different and decided to type it up. **Companion Fic to Underneath (Story told in Sheik's P.O.V)**

**Disclaimer:** All characters are owned by Nintendo

**Warnings:** LinkxSheik, malexmale aka. Two guys falling in love. Sorry if anyone is a little out of character.

**Sheik is a separate character then Zelda and he is **_**male**_**. I made up some stuff about his past and all that just for the sake of this one-shot. Link **_**does not**_** go back in time, but stays in the present after defeating Ganon.**

**Summary:** We all assume we know what lies under Sheik's cowl, but what if it was something different then we thought? Link's P.O.V – Companion fic to Underneath

Please no flames.

**If you want, take a peek at Underneath, this story in Sheik's P.O.V**

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**Link's POV**

Ever since I had met him at the Temple of Time, he was a mystery. Exotic and different, Sheik was something I didn't think existed in this world anymore. Something I felt blessed at knowing, blessed with the strength of a pure heart and a strong mind and soul.

I was blessed because he was my friend, and fighting on my side.

The one downfall to his friendship? The fact that I had fallen in love with him was one downfall, the only down fall actually, if I really think about it.

Years had passed though, and there was no need for fighting anymore, Ganon was gone and Hyrule was at peace. But I was still in love with him. Ganon being gone did nothing to solve that little (big?) problem.

I sighed as I shook my head and thought back to the task at hand, saddling the horses. Once the two horses were tacked up and ready to go I focused my attention on Epona, who was giving me a ... horsey glare, if that was possible.

"Oh it's not so bad." I said as I secured the pack to her back, grinning slightly at the thought of talking to my horse. I was glad most of the stable hands were at the other side of the large barn behind Hyrule Castle. All I needed was a rumour about The Hero of Time going crazy and talking to his horse. I patted her shoulder, "You're still my best girl, Epon- Hey! No biting!"

After I had finished with Epona I walked back outside and started heading towards the Castle to find Sheik. He had agreed to go out riding with me today, though it had taken some prodding. I saw him walking down the cobbled pathway to the stables and I grinned, and he met my eyes.

"Sheik," I spoke, and I grinned even bigger, if possible. He nodded in greeting as he approached me and we fell into step beside each other.

"Where did you want to ride to today?" He asked as we walked side by side to the stables, his voice slightly muffled by the mask-_cowl_- I corrected myself, remembering his correction the first time I called his cowl a mask.

"_Sheik, why do you always hide your face behind that mask?" I had asked as we waited for Zelda to hurry up with whatever she was doing so we could escort her to Castle Town to do whatever she had planned on doing._

"_It's a cowl." He corrected instantly, almost sounding insulted I had called it a mask, "And it's Sheikah tradition." _

"_But, who can see your face then?" I asked as I studied the way he fiddled with the grass in his hands and I felt curiosity burn at me as I watched him pull the grass into pieces. "Or do you just always hide it?" _

"_Family and lovers." He answered, and I nodded slowly._

"_Oh..." Was all I managed before I heard Zelda's footsteps against the cobblestone path as she approached us, a grin on her face._

"I wanted to visit the lake." I answered as I watched him raise one fine golden eye brow at my choice destination.

"That's quite a hike away, Link." He answered as I felt our shoulders brush together as we continued walking. I liked the way my skin tingled where we had briefly touched. "We'd never make it there and back in just one day."

I grinned at his words, feeling slightly mischievous "Ah," I said as we rounded the corner and entered the stable, "That's why we'll be spending the night." I watched his reaction as he studied the two horses I had tacked up and waiting. Jiro, his buckskin mare, Nazuil, a chestnut mare that Zelda sometimes rode and then I watched as he took in the third horse before he turned and looked at me.

"You're using Epona as a pack horse?" He gave me a dubious look as he walked over and took Jiro's reins from the hitching rail.

I laughed at his tone of voice, "She is the only horse I can trust who can keep up and will follow me where ever I go." I answered as I walked over to the mare I was going to be riding for the day. I watched as Sheik nodded, agreeing with my Epona theory.

We both mounted up and rode down and out of Castle Town, and as soon as we hit the open plains of Hyrule Field we let our horses stretch out and gallop. I watched Epona as she tore off at a gallop, playfully bucking and crow hopping as she galloped ahead of us. The pack on her back was significantly lighter than me and my equipment.

I missed riding her, I didn't get to ride her as much as I used too, with helping out around the castle and such.

We arrived at the lake around dusk, and set up our camp and made a fire. We cooked some fish I had managed to catch from the lake before I went to consol Epona, who was _sulking._ She stood with her head down and whickered softly every now and then as we had been busy setting up camp.

I went over to give her a good grooming while Sheik went to sit down by the rocks at the water's edge.

"Hey girl." I muttered as I patted her neck, scratching her favourite spot and I smiled as she leaned into my touch. Over her shoulder I watched Sheik as he sat by the water; he was finishing eating, because he wouldn't eat while I was near. With his back turned to me, his face was hidden from my view, even though from this distance I wouldn't have been able to see it anyways.

After making sure Epona was settled for the night I wandered back down to where Sheik was sitting, he was finished eating and his cowl was back up when I sat down beside him.

"It's like having a possessive girlfriend who doesn't like when you talk to your female co-workers." I said as I sat and watched his foot send soft ripples through the water, somewhat hypnotized by the actions. "But she can't be reasoned with."

I could tell he was smiling when his ruby eyes lit up as they met mine.

"It's a beautiful night." I commented as I shifted slightly closer to him. The moon was full and the sky was free of any clouds. The reflection of the moon on the still lake was beautiful, pure and untouched by anything. I remembered the sad state the lake was in when I had first seen it. Dry and empty, crawling with monsters.

I felt Sheik stiffen ever so slightly when I brushed my arm gently against his.

"It is, Hero." He replied making my heart beat slightly faster. I watched as he studied the horses grazing on the shore. "So different than before."

"Hmm." I replied as I watched the horses too. "I remember coming out of that Temple, and you were one of the first things I saw." I smiled softly as I focused my gaze back out onto the lake.

"I remember you took a long time. I was worried." My heart jumped as he said those few words and I turned to look at him.

"That temple was long and confusing ... but Sheik; do you really mean it when you said you worried about me?" I asked, giving him half a smile, but in reality, I was nervous. Did he really care about me? My heart was beating wildly and I wondered if he could hear it.

Sheik met my eyes, red eyes on blue as he spoke. "Of course Link, you were the only hope Hyrule had."

I stopped breathing for a second to process the words he had just spoken to me.

_Of course Link, you were the only hope Hyrule had._

Pain burned at me as I bit the inside of my cheek, and my heart beat erratically as Sheik watched my reaction in a confused manner. It hurt, it hurt _a lot_ to hear him admit he feared for _The Hero Of Time_ and not just me.

I let the pain cloud my judgement as I spoke. "Is that all? Because I'm the Hero of Time?" I asked in a voice laced with hurt and sorrow, a voice I don't think I've ever used before. I've never felt pain like this before. It was in my chest, but it was like no sting I had ever received from blade or claw of any monster I had faced.

"Of course not Link, you're so much more than that to me..." He spoke softly and I leaned forward, being led by desire and by instinct and not using common sense anymore.

Throwing caution to the wind would also have been a good way to phrase it, but as I had said, I wasn't using my brain for the time being.

I rested my hand just above his knee, surprised when he didn't knock it off. "How much more?" I whispered huskily, watching as his cheeks, the part I could see anyways, flushed a soft pink hue.

"A-alot." He stuttered slightly and I felt my stomach twist and my heart pound wildly in my chest. Some part of me was screaming, wailing not to go through and tell Sheik how I felt, and another part was encouraging me, pushing me slowly towards the Sheikah in front of me. Willing me to kiss him, telling me to kiss him.

"Show me your face." I whispered as I leaned closer to him. I knew what I was asking, and I hope he understood too, judging by the look on his face he understood.

"_But, who can see your face then? Or do you just always hide it?" _

"_Family and lovers." _

"My face?" He asked uncertainly as I studied him intently, "I don't know," I watched as his hand reached up gripped his cowl uncertainly, and I briefly wondered if he was going to pull it off. Slowly he removed his hand from his face, letting it drop to sit on his lap.

"Sheik," I spoke his name softly as I watched the uncertainty flicker in his eyes, I leaned in a little closer, moving my hand from his knee to his hip. "Please..." I whispered softly, as I brought my hand up to rest on his cowl hidden cheek.

I felt Sheik tense as I rested my hand on his cheek, red eyes flickered to fear, ever so slightly, I could see it was there. I would never pull his cowl down, not without his permission. I could see his skin flush, and from my closeness to the Sheikah I felt the heat radiate off him, and I liked it.

I watched in surprise as he lifted his hand and rested it against mine on his face, and I felt my heart race and the my breath quicken. The blood in my veins felt like lava as it surged in a frenzy through my body. Slowly, torturously slow, Sheik revealed his face to me, and I gasped as I saw it. I was stunned and surprised at what I saw hidden under his cowl.

He froze, his eyes wide and turned his face away from me, knocking my hand away. He was standing, leaving quickly. I barely noticed the horses spooking at his sudden movement, because I was slightly startled too. But then, my brain caught up to me and I was standing too. Reaching for Sheik.

I caught his wrist and held firm. He didn't struggle against me as I held his wrist tight, willing him to turn and face me.

"Link..." He muttered as he pulled on his wrist to get free. I could hear the sadness dripping from his voice, and it hurt to hear him sound so upset. I reached for him, turning him around slowly. I looked down at him and used my hand to tilt his chin up so he'd look me in the eyes.

Before I could stop myself, I was kissing Sheik. He responded to me almost instantly, kissing back gently. I wrapped my arms around his waist, pulling his warm body closer to mine and in turn he wrapped his arms around my neck. Our lips moved smoothly together as he kissed, and my heart felt like it was going to explode.

Here I was, holding Sheik, _kissing_ Sheik. It was better than I ever had imagined kissing him would be.

I slowly broke the kiss off, taking a second to catch my breath and to slow my beating heart before speaking. I let one hand reach up, and touch the scar that was the only imperfection on his face. The deep groove cut from his cheek across the corner of his lip and continued a little ways after his lips, pulling the corner of his mouth down into a small, permanent scowl.

I rubbed my thumb over it gently, studying it. It was noticeable, but it was dull compared to his beauty, inside and out. I watched the flush creep up his face as I rested my thumb against his lips and I smiled softly.

"Is this why you hide your face?" I asked as I tightened my arm around his waist, pulling him close to me as I watched him look at me.

"Part of." Sheik answered quietly, and I laughed gently. I rested my forehead against his and looked into his eyes.

"Why?"

"I...I guess I was embarrassed." He replied, as he dropped his eye contact with me. I had never known Sheik to be so ... passive.

"Don't be." I answered before I pressed a tender kiss on his forehead. ". "You don't understand how long I wanted to do this, Sheik." I spoke softly, and I felt him shudder in my arms.

When Sheik didn't answer I spoke again, "You're beautiful Sheik, not only on the outside, but on the inside too. " I brushed my thumb over the scars again. "These are nothing," I placed a kiss against the scar and I smiled as I saw Sheik blush. "Please, don't hide your face anymore, Sheik."

Sheik pulled away from me and met my eyes "It's hard not to, but it is tradition too." I raised my eyebrow at the other blonde, a habit I had picked up from the Sheikah.

"I did some research." I admitted as I walked down to sit back on the rocks, a small smile settling on my face as I heard the soft sounds of his footsteps behind me. He sat beside me and I shifted closer to him.

"On what?" I could hear the curiosity in his words as I sat silent for a second, letting my gaze wander back out to the reflection of moon on the lake. I had gotten Zelda's help to do some research on Sheikah history and culture. What I learned surprised me slightly, and it had always made me wonder why Sheik really wore his cowl.

"Sheikah Culture." I answered as I continued to look out over the water.

"Oh..." Was all he replied with as we sat in silence for another few seconds, before I continued to speak.

"Sheikah warriors used to wear cowls to separate themselves from other people so they could fight without having ties to people. Death wouldn't matter to them as much if they had no one, right?" I looked at Sheik and he nodded slowly. "With a cowl they had no emotions, they were stoic and strong."

He nodded again and I continued.

"We don't have to fight anymore, Sheik." I whispered as I wrapped my arms around him and I let my breath ghost along his neck. He shuddered slightly. "Hyrule is at peace again." I kissed him gently, and pulled away quickly. "We can be at peace."

"I know." He answered; he met my eyes and then sighed slightly.

"Will you keep it off then?" I asked as I watched him sit in silence for a few minutes. I knew this was hard for him, and I would never rush him into a decision.

When he looked at me I smiled at him.

His voice broke the silence. "Yes." He nodded slightly, his blonde hair swayed some, revealing his other eye from under the bangs that usually covered it. "I'll try, I promise."

I was grinning as I leaned down to kiss him again, this time with a little more vigour then I had the first. Like last time, my arms ended up around his waist pulling him to me, and his arms were tight around my neck, keeping our faces close together. I brushed my tongue against his lips, and he eagerly opened his mouth for me.

I was new to this whole kissing thing, so for the most part I let my instincts take control, and did what ever felt good. The only person I had really ever kissed was Malon, and that was a story (and memory) I did feel like thinking about while kissing Sheik.

I grinned into the kiss some more as we both fought slightly with our tongues, my grin growing bigger as Sheik submitted, letting me take control. It surprised me, because it wasn't a very Sheik thing to do but I wasn't going to complain.

When we broke for air I smiled at him, and he smiled back. The scar and slight scowl did nothing to dull his beauty to me. With his face flushed and still slightly panting from our kiss Sheik was the most beautiful thing in my world.

He was mine, we were happy, and Hyrule was at peace. All the pieces had fell into place, and that's all that mattered to me.

**End.**

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...hmm. yeah, no real comment.

Please, review, it just takes a second ;) ! Thanks for reading, I hope you enjoyed it!


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